Category: Ancestor Stories
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Two Anastasias, One Powerful Legacy: When a Name Means “Resurrection”
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Discover two great-great-grandmothers named Anastasia who lived under Austrian rule in the 1800s. Both carried a name meaning ‘resurrection’ – one emigrated from Slovakia to Pennsylvania, the other died young in Polish Galicia. Their shared name connects across time and tragedy.
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The Ultimate FAN Club: When Family Becomes Everything
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Week 25 of #52Ancestors Challenge: FAN Club When Elizabeth Shown Mills coined the term “FAN Club” – Friends, Associates & Neighbors – she gave genealogists a powerful research strategy. But I’d like to expand that definition slightly to include both Friends AND Family, Associates & Neighbors, because family networks often…
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How Fathers Across Generations Shaped My DNA and Destiny
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The exploration of family ancestry highlights the impact of father figures across generations. The author reflects on paternal lineage, focusing on Swedish roots and their accessibility. Key figures include David Sten, a courageous immigrant builder, and George Dubinsky, a devoted WWII soldier. Both passed down enduring lessons of strength, commitment,…
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Love Transcends Time: Three Wedding Stories, One Sacred Legacy
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Week 23 of #52Ancestors Challenge: Weddings Sometimes the most beautiful family stories don’t hide in dusty archives or DNA matches, but live in the continuity of sacred moments that span generations. Today I want to share the story of three weddings that took place in the same congregation across nearly…
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The Ultimate Reunion Love Story
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Week 22 of #52Ancestors Challenge: Reunion When people ask about the greatest reunion of my life, they expect me to talk about discovering long-lost ancestors through dusty church records or connecting with distant DNA cousins across continents. After all, my blog is filled with stories of Swedish brick walls, mysterious…
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Remembering the Forgotten Heroes: Paul and Stephen Marcisak
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Memorial Day Special – #52Ancestors On this Memorial Day, as we honor those who served our nation, I find myself thinking about two men whose stories deserve to be told: my grandmother’s brothers, Paul Marcisak (1922-1959) and Stephen Marcisak (1913-1961). These weren’t generals or war heroes whose names appear in…
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The Astonishing Roadster Revelation: My Quiet Grandfather’s Secret Wheels
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Sometimes the most surprising family history discoveries appear when you least expect them. While sorting through a forgotten box of papers (you know, the kind we genealogists can never resist), I stumbled upon something that made me catch my breath—a complete set of purchase documents for a 1936 Plymouth Sedan…
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My Library Journey: From Nancy Drew To Genealogy Research
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Libraries have been my second home since childhood, shaping my love for reading and lifelong learning. From summer reading programs to complex academic research, they’ve influenced my education and career. Now, I’m thrilled to see my son sharing this same passion for libraries as I look forward to more adventures…
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The Healing Army: My Grandfather’s Service at America’s Largest WWII Hospital
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When I think about institutions that shaped my family’s history, one stands out prominently: Percy Jones Hospital in Battle Creek, Michigan. This wasn’t just any medical facility—it was where my maternal grandfather, George Dubinsky, served during the final months of World War II, and where thousands of wounded American soldiers…
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Genetic Breadcrumbs: Following DNA to Find the Mysterious Mr. Max
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Introduction Remember that story I shared about the mysterious Mr. Max? If you missed it, I introduced you to one of my family’s most enduring mysteries—the identity of Clifford Max’s father, born in Edwardsville, Illinois in 1929. According to family lore, Clifford’s father had died before his son was born.…